ヴィヴァルディ: ヴァイオリン協奏曲集《四季》

クイケンの名盤が廉価で再発売
スパラを用いた2度目の「四季」全曲

クイケン2度目の『四季』録音で、幻の「ヴィオロンチェロ・ダ・スパラ」を低弦に用いた意欲作。曲ごとにソリストを入れ替えて演奏。室内楽編成であることも特徴で、飽和状態ともいえる『四季』録音史上に、まったく新しい見方を提示した名盤です。ヴィオロンチェロ・ダ・スパラは一般的なチェロ奏法とは異なり、「スパラ(肩)」という名称通りヴァイオリンのように肩に掛けて演奏します。音色はふくよかで柔らかく、低弦楽器のわりに繊細な響きをもつ逸品。低音部と旋律部のバランスにも好影響を与えています。
ACCENT

With the sheer glut of recordings of Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons on the market, it takes some special approach to make yet another recording of this chestnut seem interesting and palatable. Because Sigiswald Kuijken and his cohorts, La Petite Bande, understand this enormous problem, they have resorted to two innovative ideas: first, to perform the four concertos in a streamlined chamber version that requires only three violins, viola, cello, and harpsichord; and second, to introduce the antique violoncello da spalla (shoulder cello) in their performances, mostly for the novelty of its reedy tone and for its possible historical usage in these particular pieces. Included on this 2007 release from Accent are also the Cello Concerto in D major, RV 403, and the Trio Sonata in D minor, "La Follia," RV 63, which frame the program neatly and give the listener something extra to consider in choosing this CD over others. But the Four Seasons are the selling point, and the performances are glossy in tone, lithe in line, lean in ensemble, and rhythmically buoyant -- all factors that give this music more freshness and vitality than one might expect. But the impression Kuijken wishes to create is only commensurate with the listener's familiarity with this work: newcomers will be charmed by the period sound and the engaging renditions, but anyone who feels the music is overexposed will find the changes mildly interesting but far from transformational. The Four Seasons in chamber guise might be appreciated for its transparency and lighter feeling, but Accent's reproduction is boosted and quite loud, so La Petite Bande sounds almost orchestral in its loudest passages anyway, and the advantages of pairing down the ensemble seem minimal.